A slotted barrel terminal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,618, wherein one or more electrical wires are electrically connected in a wire receiving slot of the terminal. There has been a need for a semiautomatic tool developing sufficient power for inserting one or more wires into the barrel slot. Further, a need has existed for a tool in which the power is adjustable to insert the terminal itself into a circuit board, in preparation of a subassembly suitable for connecting wires from terminal to terminal, and thereby, from point to point on the circuit board. The above identified terminal is especially suitable for use in conjunction with the tool according to the present invention, since the terminal is free standing and accessible to the tool, and since the terminal is sufficiently robust to absorb the energy of the tool power stroke, which may be adjusted suitably to drive the terminal into a circuit board, or to insert one or more wires along the slot and into electrical connection with the terminal.